Spark plug



" C. B. WHITE.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICAIION FILED NOV- 5,1919- 1,405,701, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

awvewtqz PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE 3. WHITE, 01: BUFFALO, NEW! YORK.

SPARK PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

Application filed November 5, 1919. Serial No. 335,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE B. \VHITE, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State 5 of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Plugs,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ignition devices for internal combustion engines. It em- 0 bodies electrodes of carbon or like substances with mechanism for holding them in proper position with respect to each other and also with means for clearing the gap between the electrodes on each intake stroke of the engine.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which will increase the efiiciency "of the ignition of the fuel within the cyl inders of engines in which it is installed.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for holding the electrodes in proper relation with each other and in case an electrode is employed which will burn away, to provide means for feeding it down and keeping the electrodes in proper relation with each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a passage for air to be drawn into the engine cylinder through the device and between the electrodes.

Further objects and details of the invention will appear as described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and hereafter set forth and "claimed.

Referring to the drawings, forming part of this specification like numerals designate corresponding parts in the. two figures in which,

Figure 1. is a cross-sectional view taken through the elements of my device, and

Figure 2. is an elevation of the same.

In the drawings the reference numeral 10. designates the screw'plug employed in.

my invention. Extending through the plugs are cylindrical passages 11. 12. and 13. to provide for the electrodes 14. and 15. which are composed of carbon or similar material, and insulating tube 18. as will be more fully described.

The passage 11. is enlarged and internally screw threaded at its upper end to receive a plug 16. which forms an abutment for a spring 17. mounted 'within the plug and adapted to press the electrode 14. down through the passage 11. t

It is essential that passage 12. be made a Passing through the upper end of larger diameter than passage 11. since the electrode 15. mounted within this passage must be insulated and for this purpose I employ a tube 18. of insulating material, such as porcelain. This tube 18. is formed with an enlargement 19. adapted to rest against the bottom of the enlarged portion of the passage 12. and a bushing 20. screwed into the passage fastens the tube 18. in place.

the porcelain tube 18. is a binding screw 21. with the usual form of nut and lock nut. This binding screw forms an abutment for spring 22-. which presses the electrode 15. down through the tube 18. in the same manner as electrode 14. is pressed down. It is, of course, understood that if it is desirable to have both electrodes insulated the passage 11. can be provided with a similar insulat- 111g tube the same as passage 12.

A tube 23. of insulating material which may be porcelain or the like is held in the passage 13. by a cap 24. which engages an nipple on the extension in the form of a plug 10. It will be seen that by forming this tube 23. of the proper diameter and suflicient length it will form an abutment for the electrodes 14. and 15. and thus maintain them in proper relation with each other. The cap 24. is provided with an aperture and check valve 25. in line with the axis of the tube 23. which operates to open and admit air on the suction stroke in the cylinder and closing on compression'stroke, thus providing for a current of air for cooling and clearing the gapbetween the electrodes.

In practice I have found that carbon or a pressed composition including carbon or like substance as an ingredient. formed into rods such as used for commutator brushes, arc-light electrodes and the like, make the most 'etficient electrodes for spark plugs, causing a hotter spark or flame within the cylinders thereby increasing the ignition of the fuel ignition. It -will,.of course, be understood that it is within the scope of my invention to employ only one of such electrodes and a metallic electrode is desired.

Therefore the terms carbon and pressed limi t myslf to the specific construction as described in the specification for it is obvious that various changes in the details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth and claimed as follows I claim:

1. A spark plugfor internal combustion engines embodying a pair of movable spring-pressed electrodes arranged to project toward each otber..

2; A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying aninsulating tube for carrying an electrode, an electrode slidably mounted within said tube, means for causin the electrode to project from the tube, an i means extending from the plug for limiting the extent the electrode can project.

3. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having two movable electrodes projecting toward each other and at least one of which is insulated from the plug. and means for causing the electrodes to feed toward each other.

i. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having two movable electrodes projecting toward each other and at least one oi which is insulated from the plug, means for causing the electrodes to feed toward each other, and an abutment of insulating material for the adjacent ends of said electrodes.

5. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having cylindrical passages, two slidably movable electrodes mounted within said 'iassages, an insulating tube surrounding one of said electrodes and positioned within one of said passages, and means for causing said electrodes to project from said passages and toward each other.

6. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having cylindrical passages, two slightly movable electrodes mounted within said passages, an insulating tube surrounding one of said electrodes and positioned within one of said passages, means for causing said electrodes to project from said passages and toward each other, and

an insulating tube extending through a third opening in said plug between said first passages and adapted to limit the extent to which said electrodes project.

7. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having two movable electrodes projecting tberetrom and toward each other, and a tube of insulating material extending through said plug and between the electrodes adapted to form an abutment for the electrodes and a passage to admit a current of air through the plug.

8. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plug having three lindrical passages having their axes in a common plane and intersecting below the end of the plug, an insulating tube in one of the outer passages, a binding post mounted on the upper end of said tube, carbon electrodes positioned, one within said tube and the other within the other outer passage, springs arranged at the remote ends o'l said electrodes adapted to project them toward each other, and an insulating tube in the middle passage extending tberethrough and between said electrodes and adapted to form a fixed abutment for their projccting'ends.

9. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plurality of electrodes all of which are composed of carbon and an insulating abutment adjacent the arcing nds of the electrodes.

10. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a plurality of electrodes all of which are composed of a pressed composition formed into rods, and an insulating abutment adjacent the arcing ends of the electrodes.

11. A spark plug for internal combustion engines embodying a pair of electrodes arranged to project obliquely toward each other, and an insulating abutment 0n the plug and between the arcing ends of the electrodes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLYDE B, WHITE. 

